# Nha Trang Cathedral > Nha Trang Cathedral — Christ the King Cathedral, locally Nhà thờ Núi — is a Gothic Revival church built in 1928–1933 on a small hill by the railway station. Entry is free. The grounds open in the daytime with a break around 11:30–14:00, and the surest way inside is to come for Mass: 4:45 and 17:00 on weekdays. Thirty minutes is enough; it's a 15–20 minute walk from the beach. Web page: https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/nha-trang-cathedral - City: [Nha Trang](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang), Vietnam - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - Opening hours: Grounds in the daytime, closed roughly 11:30–14:00 (unofficial); Mass Mon–Sat 4:45 and 17:00, Sun 5:00, 7:00, 9:30, 16:30, 18:30 - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, no tickets; donations optional - Weekday Mass: 4:45 and 17:00; Saturday evening is the Sunday vigil Mass - Sunday Mass: 5:00, 7:00, 9:30, 16:30, 18:30; Eucharistic Adoration at 15:00 - Grounds: Daytime, roughly 5:30–17:00; the gate shuts for lunch around 11:30–14:00 - Address: 31A Thái Nguyên, Nha Trang — guides also give "1 Thái Nguyên" - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; keep quiet inside - Language: Services are in Vietnamese - Coordinates: 12.24677, 109.18813 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1933** — consecrated on 14 May to Christ the King, on the feast of St Joan of Arc (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia; Diocese of Nha Trang website) - **3 Sep 1928** — construction began on a rocky hill about 12 m high (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; Vietnam Airlines guide; Local Vietnam guide; Diocese of Nha Trang website) - **38 m** — height of the bell tower and cross above the street, with a four-faced clock (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; Vietnam Airlines guide; Local Vietnam guide) - **Louis Vallet** — the French priest (1869–1945) who built the church and is buried at the foot of the hill (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia; Diocese of Nha Trang website) - **1935** — the bell tower was finished on 3 December; the bell was blessed in July 1934 (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia; Local Vietnam guide) - **1960** — the church became the cathedral of the Diocese of Nha Trang (source: English and Vietnamese Wikipedia; Diocese of Nha Trang website) - **36 × 20 m** — the footprint of the cathedral, about 720 m² (source: Vietnam Airlines guide; Nasha Planeta (720 m²)) - **Stained glass** — saints including Joan of Arc and John Vianney, plus scenes from the life of Jesus (source: English Wikipedia; Vietnam Airlines guide) - **53 steps** — on the footpath up the hill, finished in 1929 (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia) - **≈ 1.2 km** — from Tram Huong Tower on the beachfront; the station is right behind the church (source: Wikidata; OpenStreetMap) ## Mass times and opening hours Mass times come from the parish page on the Diocese of Nha Trang's website. **Weekdays:** **4:45** and **17:00**, with the Sunday vigil Mass on Saturday evening. **Sundays:** **5:00, 7:00, 9:30, 16:30 and 18:30**. The 15:00 slot on Sunday is Eucharistic Adoration, not a Mass, although many travel guides list it as one. Services are in Vietnamese, and anyone can slip in quietly at the back. The parish doesn't publish visiting hours, and guides disagree. Vietnam Airlines and Local Vietnam say the grounds open about 5:30–17:00 on weekdays, and 5:00–7:00 plus 11:00–16:30 on Sundays; Nasha Planeta gives 8:00–11:15 and 14:00–16:15. They agree that the main gate shuts for the priests' lunch break, roughly **11:30–14:00**. The main doors often open only for Mass, with a side door used for visitors in the daytime — so if seeing the interior matters, come for Mass or 15–20 minutes before it. > **Entry is free — whatever you're told at the gate** There are no tickets. People at the gate or on the steps sometimes point insistently at a donation box or name an "entrance fee" — anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 VND depending on the guide you read. You don't have to pay: donations are voluntary and best made inside the church. The only charge you may meet is motorbike parking at the entrance, around 5,000 VND (unofficial). ## What is Nha Trang Cathedral? Its proper name is **Christ the King Cathedral** (Nhà thờ Chánh tòa Kitô Vua), the mother church of the Diocese of Nha Trang and a working parish with daily Mass. Locals call it Nhà thờ Núi, the "Mountain Church", or Nhà thờ Đá, the "Stone Church". Russian-language guides know it as St Mary's, after the large white statue of the Virgin at the bottom of the hill — it's the same building. It was the project of **Louis Vallet**, a French priest of the Paris Foreign Missions Society. Work began on **3 September 1928**; the top of a small rocky hill had to be blasted flat first. The church was consecrated on **14 May 1933**, and the clock tower was completed in 1935. Vallet served the parish until his death in 1945 and is buried at the foot of the hill, beside the road up to the church. The style is Gothic Revival: pointed arches, stained glass, heavy grey walls and a 38 m square bell tower topped by a cross. As for the "stone" nickname, sources split. Some describe stone blocks; Vietnam Airlines and Local Vietnam say the walls are mostly reinforced concrete and brick finished to look like stone, with real stone only in the foundations and paths. ## How to get to Nha Trang Cathedral 1. **From Tram Huong Tower on the Tran Phu beachfront** it's about 1.2 km west in a straight line. Walk 15–20 minutes inland along Thai Nguyen street; the cathedral sits on its hill by the Ngã Sáu roundabout. 2. **By Grab or taxi** it's a 5-minute ride. Search for "Nhà thờ Núi" or "Nha Trang Cathedral". Grab shows the fare before you book and takes cash or a linked foreign card. 3. **From Nha Trang railway station** it's a few minutes' walk — the station is directly behind the cathedral on Thai Nguyen street. 4. At street level is the Ave Maria square with the white statue of the Virgin. A stone staircase and a driveway lead up the hill; motorbikes can ride into the courtyard, cars park below. 5. At the top, walk around the church, look inside through whichever door is open and take in the view from the edge of the courtyard. 6. From here it's about 1 km to [Long Son Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/long-son-pagoda) and its white Buddha, or about 1 km to [Dam Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/dam-market) — five minutes by Grab. ## What to see - **The clock tower** — 38 m including the cross, visible across much of the city. Its bell was blessed in 1934. - **The stained glass** — the highlight inside: saints including Joan of Arc and John Vianney, and scenes from the life of Jesus. Best on a sunny day. - **The nave** — pointed arches and columns in the French Gothic Revival manner, cool and quiet. - **Ave Maria square** at the foot of the hill, with the white statue of the Virgin Mary. Opened in 2011, it hosts the big outdoor Masses, including Christmas Eve. - **Statues along the drive and in the courtyard** — the twelve apostles, Christ the King and other saints, added in the 1990s. - **The columbarium wall** along the driveway, with niches holding parishioners' ashes. It's a place of remembrance — don't sit on it or pose right up against it. - **Louis Vallet's grave** at the foot of the hill, to the right of the road up. > **Nha Trang Cathedral dress code** This is a working church. Cover your shoulders and knees — beachwear, shorts and vests aren't appropriate, especially if you want to go inside. Keep your voice down, don't walk up the aisle during Mass and don't use flash. At a service you can sit in the back pews and leave quietly between parts of the Mass. ## How long do you need, and when should you go? **About 30 minutes** covers the climb, a walk around the church, a look inside and the view. Allow an hour if you want to sit in on Mass. Go **before 11:00** or **after 14:00**, when the gate is open; the façade catches the best light in the afternoon. For atmosphere, come on **Sunday morning** or for the **17:00 weekday Mass**, when the church is full and the choir and bell are going. Christmas and Easter, when the bishop celebrates, are beautiful but extremely crowded. ## Is Nha Trang Cathedral worth visiting? Yes, as a short stop. It's free, central and on the way to Long Son Pagoda and Dam Market, and the tower and stained glass are genuinely handsome. The YesGo take: don't make a special trip for it. It's a 20–40 minute visit, the interior is plainer than Saigon's Notre-Dame Cathedral, and in the daytime you may find the main doors shut. It works best as the first stop of a morning loop — cathedral, then a walk to the white Buddha, then the market. ## Nha Trang Cathedral or Long Son Pagoda? | | Nha Trang Cathedral | Long Son Pagoda | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Catholic cathedral, 1928–1933 | Buddhist temple from 1886 with a white Buddha | | Entry | Free | Free | | Getting inside | Surest at Mass; side door in the daytime | Main hall in the daytime, shoes off | | Climb | A short staircase up the hill | 152–193 steps to the Buddha | | Time needed | About 30 minutes | About an hour | They're about 1 km apart, so it's easy to see both in one morning. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Clothes covering shoulders and knees - [ ] Not arriving between 11:30 and 14:00, when the gate is shut - [ ] Want to see inside — checked the Mass times - [ ] Small VND notes for a donation and Grab - [ ] Remember: no tickets, no gate fee - [ ] Next stop planned — Long Son Pagoda or Dam Market ## Temples and churches in Nha Trang: compare and choose Places of worship in Nha Trang rated by YesGo. - [Nha Trang Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/nha-trang-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Long Son Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/long-son-pagoda) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Po Nagar Cham Towers](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/po-nagar) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 30,000 VND, children free ## Beachfront, cathedral and white Buddha in half a day Walk from Tram Huong Tower to the hilltop cathedral, continue to Long Son Pagoda and its white Buddha, reach Dam Market by lunchtime, then cross the river to the Po Nagar towers. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Tram Huong Tower](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/tram-huong-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free 2. [Nha Trang Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/nha-trang-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 3. [Long Son Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/long-son-pagoda) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 4. [Dam Market](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/dam-market) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry 5. [Po Nagar Cham Towers](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/po-nagar) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 30,000 VND, children free ## Good to know Don't confuse it with Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City or with St Mary's cathedrals elsewhere. Nha Trang has several Catholic churches, but the cathedral is the one on the hill by the station — on maps also Nhà thờ Núi, Nhà thờ Đá or Stone Church. ## Tips - Time your visit for the 17:00 weekday Mass or a Sunday morning service — that's when the main doors are open and the choir sings. - The classic shot of the façade and tower is from Ave Maria square below; the city view is from the edge of the courtyard at the top. - Carry a light scarf or shirt to throw on if you've come straight from the beach. - Bring small notes in dong for a donation and the Grab ride on. - Walk on to Long Son Pagoda, about 1 km away, or take a Grab to the [Po Nagar towers](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/nha-trang/po-nagar). ## Questions ### What are the Mass times at Nha Trang Cathedral? According to the diocese: 4:45 and 17:00 on weekdays, and 5:00, 7:00, 9:30, 16:30 and 18:30 on Sundays. Services are in Vietnamese. ### What are Nha Trang Cathedral's opening hours? There are no official visiting hours. The grounds are generally open in the daytime, with the gate shut roughly 11:30–14:00. The surest way to see inside is to come for Mass. ### Is there an entrance fee? No. Entry is free and donations are optional. If someone at the gate demands a fee, you don't have to pay. ### Where is Nha Trang Cathedral? On a small hill in the city centre at 31A Thái Nguyên, right by the railway station — about 1.2 km from Tram Huong Tower on the beachfront. ### How do I get there from the beach? Walk 15–20 minutes inland along Thai Nguyen street, or take a 5-minute Grab to "Nhà thờ Núi". ### What should I wear? Cover your shoulders and knees. Beachwear, shorts and vests aren't appropriate, especially inside. ### How long do you need at the cathedral? About 30 minutes for the grounds, the interior and the view; around an hour if you attend Mass. ### Is it really made of stone? It's nicknamed the Stone Church, but sources disagree: some describe stone blocks, others say the walls are mostly reinforced concrete and brick, with stone only in the foundations. ### Is Nha Trang Cathedral worth visiting? Yes as a short, free stop on the way to Long Son Pagoda and Dam Market. Don't plan a special trip — it takes 20–40 minutes and the interior is fairly plain. ## How we checked Mass times and the address are from the official parish page on the Diocese of Nha Trang website. Travel guides (Local Vietnam, MIA.vn, Nasha Planeta) give the same Masses but add a Sunday "Mass" at 15:00, which the diocese lists as Eucharistic Adoration. The parish publishes no visiting hours, so those are marked unofficial: Vietnam Airlines and Local Vietnam say 5:30–17:00 on weekdays and 5:00–7:00 plus 11:00–16:30 on Sundays, with the gate closed 11:30–14:00; Nasha Planeta says 8:00–11:15 and 14:00–16:15. The diocese gives the address as 31A Thái Nguyên, Vietnamese Wikipedia and the guides as 1 Thái Nguyên; we show both. The consecration date of 14.05.1933 is from Wikipedia and the header of the diocese page (its body text has a typo, "14/03/1933"). The 38 m tower height is from Vietnamese Wikipedia, Vietnam Airlines and Local Vietnam (Nasha Planeta says 28 m). Building materials are disputed — stone blocks per Nasha Planeta and MIA.vn, reinforced concrete and brick per Vietnam Airlines and Local Vietnam — so we give both. Gate-fee amounts and parking are unofficial. Distances are our own straight-line measurements from Wikidata and OpenStreetMap coordinates. ## Sources - Diocese of Nha Trang website — Chánh Tòa parish page: address, Mass times, Eucharistic Adoration, history, Ave Maria square - English Wikipedia — Christ the King Cathedral, Nha Trang: consecration, Louis Vallet, cathedral status since 1960, stained glass, bell and tower - Vietnamese Wikipedia — Nhà thờ Núi Nha Trang: start of works, tower height, footpath, statues, columbarium, Louis Vallet's grave - Vietnam Airlines travel guide — history, dimensions, tower height, building materials, visiting hours, lunch closure, gate fee - Local Vietnam travel guide (19.05.2026) — history, building materials, visiting hours, lunch closure, donations, dress code - MIA.vn — history; main doors open for Mass, side door for daytime visitors - Nasha Planeta (20.10.2026) — visiting hours, gate fee, parking, floor area - Wikidata Q2942901; OpenStreetMap — coordinates of the cathedral and Tram Huong Tower, distances - YesGo general facts for Vietnam — cash, cards and Grab --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.